[DesertDave]

If you want to survive this you'd better bring a bunker.
Note: it gets worse as you scroll down the page.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...wiped-map-deadliest-tornado-modern-times.html

 

[rextex]

Thanks for showing that. I live in Missouri but on the other side of the state. I'm 64 years old and have never seen anything like that here. Got to really feel for those people!

 

[Daelith]

Thanks for showing that. I live in Missouri but on the other side of the state. I'm 64 years old and have never seen anything like that here. Got to really feel for those people!

They're saying it's the most destructive since the 60's when modern rating began, and the 8th most deadly ever (#1 goes to a funnel that killed over 600). Definitely an eye opener.

 

[persuader]

just saying...a house made of stone probably would still be in place. the roof might be blown off true but the house itself still would be standing. it is just a guesstimate though. im sorry for the people and just hope that they will be able to lead a normal life soon.

 

[Rockclimber]

Once you have been through a tornado of this size once, you get used to it. These May storms come every year and it is just a roll of the dice as to whether your house is hit or not.
As for the stone house comment, most of these homes are brick and were blown over by the 200+MPH wind shears. A stone home would stand no chance in a F4 or F5. Our weather reporters are to the point that they are saying if you don't have an underground tornado shelter you need to get in your car and drive away quickly.

 

[Mtnman Mike]

For years I have been saying and especially posting in many different forums that people do need a bunker / fallout / storm shelter. They can just call it a storage or root cellar but it can be used as a good storm shelter someday very possibly. I use mine mainly as a good secure storage area but I also sleep inside it when it is cold and snowy when on my mtn retreat.

Here is a thread posted with a video that shows how Fifteen people survived in a good basement as the terrible tornado wiped out about everything overhead >>> http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=171461

 

[FarmerJohn]

one day ill have one my house has been here since 1840 hopefully shes got a few more decades in her left

 

[paramilusmc]

I don't know how you can live in an area like that and not have a shelter, it blows my mind that some people don't even have basements there.

 

[INresponse]

My sister is in Kentucky, around Lexington. She said few houses have basements. Neither of my nephews have basements, her boyfriend has a cellar under the porch but his house is so old I don't know what condition the cellar is in. I think the ground is so rocky there the builders don't want to dig the basements because it would add too much to the cost of the house and make them unaffordable.

I know the cost of protecting your life or your family should be the moon but most people don't think ahead to storms or weather events. For the few people who want the basement I guess they are stuck buying a custom home.

 

[persuader]

...
As for the stone house comment, most of these homes are brick and were blown over by the 200+MPH wind shears. A stone home would stand no chance in a F4 or F5. Our weather reporters are to the point that they are saying if you don't have an underground tornado shelter you need to get in your car and drive away quickly.

from what i see on the pictures is that most of these houses were wood. maybe on a brick foundation. and on one of them the house which looks like it might be built from bricks is still standing.

 

[alaska_freedom]

If you want to survive this you'd better bring a bunker.
Note: it gets worse as you scroll down the page.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...wiped-map-deadliest-tornado-modern-times.html

those poor people, it broke my heart seeing it so close.

 

[AKM.]

Horrifying. Simply bloody horrifying......

 

[humanoddity]

My sister is in Kentucky, around Lexington. She said few houses have basements. Neither of my nephews have basements, her boyfriend has a cellar under the porch but his house is so old I don't know what condition the cellar is in. I think the ground is so rocky there the builders don't want to dig the basements because it would add too much to the cost of the house and make them unaffordable.

I know the cost of protecting your life or your family should be the moon but most people don't think ahead to storms or weather events. For the few people who want the basement I guess they are stuck buying a custom home.

With all of the storms in the South, I've noticed people are surprised that basements aren't common here.

Though I don't know about the conditions in Lexington, I do know that for a large part of my area, the water table is extremely high. Builders shy away from putting in basements because they leak so easily.

I would venture to say it could be done, but it would require so much additional work in the way of water-proofing or adding sump pumps, etc. that it makes the cost prohibitive to a lot of people.

 

[schutzen1]

Brick does not insure safety during a tornado. Most brick homes built today are "brick veneer". They are a frame house with a layer of brick "veneered" to the outside walls. This type of construction is sturdier than a vinyl covered home, but only because of the impact resistance of the walls.

Years ago houses and buildings were constructed with true brick walls. These walls were 3 layers of brick offset, interlocking, and all the gaps were filled with mortar. This type of wall is not currently constructed due to cost. Even these walls can be dropped by a tornado. Our county seat was struck by a tornado in April of this year. Most of the buildings on the main street were constructed prior to WW1 and have true 3 layer thick brick walls. 3 buildings collapsed in the storm and 4 more have been condemned as unsafe for habitation. We were very lucky; there were no deaths and only a few minor injuries in our county.

 

[persuader]

Brick does not insure safety during a tornado. Most brick homes built today are "brick veneer". They are a frame house with a layer of brick "veneered" to the outside walls. This type of construction is sturdier than a vinyl covered home, but only because of the impact resistance of the walls.

Years ago houses and buildings were constructed with true brick walls. These walls were 3 layers of brick offset, interlocking, and all the gaps were filled with mortar. This type of wall is not currently constructed due to cost. Even these walls can be dropped by a tornado. Our county seat was struck by a tornado in April of this year. Most of the buildings on the main street were constructed prior to WW1 and have true 3 layer thick brick walls. 3 buildings collapsed in the storm and 4 more have been condemned as unsafe for habitation. We were very lucky; there were no deaths and only a few minor injuries in our county.

there are real brick houses here in germany. actually most of the europe are brick or concrete houses. while they might not withstand everything they would withstand a lot more than the houses that got destroyed (or will be destroyed) in those tornadoes.

i agree with you that in the old days the houses were definitely more strongly built.

 

[Hick Industries]

Texas A&M has an air cannon they use to test wall construction techniques. Normally the shoot a 2 x 4 at the wall at around 200 mph. The only construction that survives is reinforced concrete, often built using Insulated Concrete Forms.

I would expect a very thick stone wall using support buttresses to survive as well if your site has enough stone to make that work.

When the twisters get even bigger (F5 twisters have max speeds of 250-280 mph) the only things that survive are concrete and steel buried several feet below the surface.

 

[John Rambo]

I don't know how you can live in an area like that and not have a shelter, it blows my mind that some people don't even have basements there.

I don't know much about Joplin Mo geographicaly, but I do know that a lot of flat landers won't build basements due to flooding problems. I personaly love basements. I lived in my parents basement when I was young. The stove was down there. Basements are insulated by the earth. Warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

 

[usmountains]

Powerful video one man took of the Tornado as he survives with a group of people inside a gas station.

Video before and during the tornado he took. It is dark but you can hear what is going on.

Video after when he returns to the same place and sees what is left and how much damage was done to the building. No one was hurt. Miracles do happen?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=iv&v=W-P4P68YyNM&annotation_id=annotation_798728

What is amazing is those people have lived in Tornado alley all these years and never built a shelter or had a basement to hide out in. When I lived in Indiana we always made sure we had a shelter in our homes and our neighbors did as well. I went through 13 different tornado's while being there and we always were in our shelters and it just became part of life there, in fact we had no reason to worry and would sneak a peak out the tiny shelter window to watch the tornado's roll by.

It should be a given, if you live in an area where there are tornado's you should have a shelter. Common sense.